“Baby Sleep”: Issues at Different Ages

Behavior & Habits

From learning to tell day from night to dealing with nightmares, young children often need a little help from their parents when it comes to sleeping. Here is some essential information about common problems and the developmental issues that might affect your child's sleep habits at different ages.

In the past doctors routinely told parents that babies should sleep face down. That way the theory went, the babies would not choke if they happened to spit up while asleep. It turns out that this was simply wrong. Babies sit up. All right, but they are actually less likely to choke when lying face up. Even more important, babies who sleep on their backs are much less likely to die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS, also called as cot death). SIDS is diagnosed when an an infant one month or older dies suddenly with no apparent cause, usually in his sleep. SIDS is a problem of the little babies. Once a child reaches six months of age, the risk goes down substantially.

The amazing thing about SIDS is that it is largely preventable. The scientific evidence is overwhelming. All around the world, the rate of SIDS dropped off sharply as parents learned to put their babies to sleep on their backs. Since the back to sleep campaign began in the United Kingdom in 1991, there has been a 71 percent drop in the number of babies whose lives have been saved by the simple advice.

A Few points to keep in mind:

- Some babies with special medical conditions do need to sleep on their fronts or sides. Your babies doctor will tell you if this is the case. For almost all babies, though, Back to sleep should be the rule.

- Sleeping on the back is safer than on the sides . Babies put to sleep on their sides often end up face down, as they move about during the night.

- A firm cot mattress is critical. Soft , fluffy mattress, fleeces and water beds are not safe. They increase the risk of suffocation.

- Babies shouldn't be overly warm when they sleep.  A blanket sleeper or soft onesie may be all your child needs. If you use a blanket, tuck it in firmly under the edges of the mattress, so that it cannot ride up by mistake and cover your baby's face.

- If your newborn sleeps in your bed, make sure that you observe the same safety standards as above: Baby on his back, firm bedding, no waterbed, no fluffy or loose blankets  or pillows.

- Protect your baby from second hand cigarette smoke. It is not enough to refrain from smoking in the baby's room, because smoke drifts all through the air in your home. It's safest to make the rule that nobody smokes inside. Period, Alone if you still smoke, it's best to put on a jacket while you smoke outside, then take it off before picking up your baby. Smoke clings to fabric.

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